The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method, and more particularly to a technique to print a document restricted from being printed, by obtaining approval for printing from an approver.
Nowadays, some printing apparatuses are configured to set conditions of use with respect to each of users, for example approval or disapproval for printing, color or B/W printing, single-sided or double-sided printing, or to restrict the period and time of day for printing, for the purpose of managing consumables such as recording sheets, as well as security management, when executing document printing jobs. For example, in a printing system in which a host apparatus and the printing apparatuses are connected to each other via a network, the printing apparatus is configured to decide, upon receipt of print data including information of the user name from the host apparatus, whether the user name information included in the print data accords with the user name information stored in a storage device. In the case where the user name information accords with each other, the printing apparatus reads out the printing condition and information of the period or time of day for printing, corresponding to the user name, and executes the printing when the printing job to be executed accords with the printing condition and the period or time of day for printing.